It’s your TURN

In May 2006 we launched the Times Union Reader Network, a virtual roundtable discussion by e-mail. Right now we have 496 members.

We use this to ask readers’ opinions on matters in the news and gather information for future stories.

For example, on Monday we e-mailed the group asking for feedback on the “rails” we’re using on A1 and B1 to tip people to inside stories and updates/blogs online, as well as what they thought about the Fun and Games page in Sports. We also asked about the “alternative story format” regular readers may have noticed. It’s what you might see on a section cover that is a photo or graphic that contains a bunch of facts or just a few paragraphs and tips readers to a full story inside. Last Thursday (1/18/07) we used this design for the change in temperature and on Friday (1/19/07) about the decline in students attending their first-choice college because of the high cost. If you’re curious, click on this link to recent Times Union front pages: http://timesunion.com/news/frontpage/

So far we’ve received a pretty healthy response – and lots of suggestions for how to improve what we do every day.

We’d like to invite you to join the discussion – sign up here. We look forward to hearing from you on future issues.